Hidden Pasts
by AppleCiderVinegar
Summary: Basically, Yu Yu Hakusho characters bare all while I write it down. I CLAIM ARTISTIC LICENSE AND IGNORANCE!
1. Touya

Hello all. You may know me as Touya the ice master, but there's more to me than ice. Much more, as you'll find out if you read on.

I was born in a small village. I was an only child because my father died when I was around 2. My two best friends, Jeryd and Kozo, were a year older than I was, and my only friend who was a girl was three years older. Now, when I was three, I developed a mild crush on Cite, who was at the time 5. Jeryd was struck by lightning on his fourth birthday, and this caused his two light green forelocks to stand up like antennae. From that day on, Jeryd was able to pick up human radio stations with his hair. On Cite's sixth birthday, I hadn't been feeling well and so Mother hadn't allowed me to go to Cite's birthday party. Jeryd had promised he'd give her my gift, and stop by later to tell me how she liked it. I was sitting in Father's oversized and overstuffed armchair, looking rather small, drinking some soup Mother had made, when there was a knock on the door. Thinking it was Jeryd, I ran to open t, but Mother stopped me.

"Touya, I want you to hide under the armchair, ok?" She said quietly.

"But Momma I don't wanna!" I whined.

"Touya, go hide." She said. My big white dog, Saiisha, nudged me toward the chair. I ran toward it, but tripped and fell on my unstable 3 year old feet. Saiisha helped me to my feet, and I crawled under the armchair, peering out from under it wide-eyed. Checking once to make sure I was safe, Mother opened the door. I recognized the demon as a friend of my father's, but he reeked of liquor. My eyes lit up, and I started to run toward the demon, but Saiisha blocked my exit. I couldn't see over her, but I could hear all too well what happened next.

"Ish Touya here?" The drunkard slurred.

"No, I'm sorry, he's at a friend's." Mother lied. He struck her.

"Lyin' bitch! Tell meh where da brat ish now!" I clutched my special toy, a small bear, close. "Won't talk? Then I'll make it sho you'll neva talk again!" A gurgling, choking gasp. I heard my other dog, Kakayro, snarl warningly. I heard a thump, and Kakayro started barking madly. I heard her yelp, then I heard another thump.

"Touya!" The demon called my name. I whimpered softly and shrank back.

"Maybe Magsh washn't lyin after all." He cast one more look around. "Touya, ya little shnot, if you're in here, you'd better run, and run fasht, cuz if I ever get my handsh on ya, I'll kill ya then and there!" The door slammed. Saiisha's friendly face appeared, and her tail thumped the ground. I crawled out from under the chair, and Saiisha wouldn't even let me look once toward the door. She led me to my room, and I knew we were leaving. I put my prized possessions into a bag, except for my bear, which I always carried. In the bag there were four things; a picture of Mother and Father when Mother was pregnant with me, a wooden soldier Father had carved for me before he died, a picture of me, Jeryd, and Kozo, and a drawing Cite had given me of me and her holding hands. Saiisha took the bag in her mouth, and lay down so I could climb onto her back. We snuck out the back door and never looked back. That night, it got bitterly cold, and I lay shivering.

"I want my Momma, Saiisha." I cried. Saiisha whined and snuggled against me to keep me warm. I fell asleep, curled up in Saiisha's warm fur. The next day, we traveled on, and met a demon who shared his dinner with us, and taught me how to cook a small portion of what Saiisha had caught for her own supper. The next day, we went our separate ways. Once, Saiisha came back from an unsuccessful hunt nursing an injured paw. A week later, her brown eyes were bloodshot, and she was irritable. She snapped at me, and white foam frothed from her mouth. I ran, clutching the bag and my bear tightly. I stumbled and dropped my bear. I kept running, not noticing the dropped bear until I heard ripping fabric and Saiisha snarling. I turned around.

"No Saiisha don't! Be good girl Saiisha!" I shouted. "Be good girl!" I cried. I ran back and grabbed a leg of my bear.

"Saiisha drop it!" Saiisha let go, and I was knocked on my rear. Teeth bared, Saiisha came at me, ready to kill.

"Aaaaahaaeeaaah!" Came a battle cry from off to my left. Saiisha was momentarily distracted, and I got up and scrambled for my bag. I had just grabbed it, when I was tackled from behind and lifted into the air. I screamed and started flailing my legs, still clinging to my bag and bear for dear life.

"Ay, calm down!" My captor yelled. I screamed again. He lifted me higher into the air, above the treetops. I could hear Saiisha barking.

"Ya really wanna go back down there? That dog's a rabid lass."

"Saiisha's a good dog." I said dazedly. I could see Saiisha below us.

"Aye, I bet she was. Now what might your name be?"

"I'm Touya." I said. "Who are you?"

"Ay, I might be Jin. I might not. Ya never know, do ye, Touya?"

"I just wanna go home." I said softly, watching Saiisha chase everything.

"Down we gooo!" Jin dove toward the ground and Saiisha. She quickly became interested in us again, and chased us. Once, she lost our trail. Jin stopped.

"Ay, ye stupid lass!" He shouted. Saiisha came barreling toward us again. We soon were near a compound of some kind, where people stood all around.

"Comin through!" Jin yelled, flying over their heads. He landed behind them, and we watched as Saiisha came barreling out of the woods, froth pouring from her mouth, murder on her mind. She yelped and fell, sliding a bit. A throwing star was imbedded in her forehead.

"Saiisha!" I cried, tears streaming down my face. I dropped my bear and bag and ran to my dog. I hugged her neck, burying my face in her fur.

"Hey, who's this kid?" One of the guards asked.

"Saiisha good girl...good girl, Saiisha. Good girl." I sobbed. Jin came up behind me and put a hand on my back.

"Aye, I bet she was every bit the good girl you say she is, Touya." He said softly.

"Is she gonna be ok?" I asked.

"Oh, aye, she's better now than she's ever been before, I bet." Jin said.

"Is she with Momma and Papa and Kakayro? Momma and Kakayro got hurt really bad too."

"Aye, I bet she is." Jin said. "And I bet they're all sayin 'Go on Touya, go on.' What do you think?"

"Dogs can't talk, silly." I said, smiling through my tears.

"Well then this sweet lass is barkin her lungs out for ye, Touya." Jin said. "Barkin and thinking 'Don't give up, Touya.' I'll bet ye can even hear her, if ye listen hard enough."

Silence reigned for a moment.

"You're right, I can hear her!" I said.

"I knew ye could." Jin said. "Now come on, ye can bunk with me tonight." He helped me to my feet, handed me my bear, and carried my bag with one hand, the other draped over my shoulders.

From that day on, whenever I was sad, I could hear Saiisha and Kakayro barking happily, encouraging me to go on.

-Touya


	2. Jin

Ay, hello everyone! In case ye don't know me, I'm Jin Kaze Tsukai, the wind master. Rena destroyed me first attempt at a chapter, but second time's the charm, no? On with me chapter.

I was born 5th oldest of 11 children. Aye, 11. Me parents weren't exactly cautious, and when me oldest brother was 13, Mum was twice his age, and Dad was a year younger than Mum. Anyway, bein 5th oldest out of 11 was pretty hard. Mum and Dad favored me eldest siblings, and I had to look out fer me younger siblings. When I was 3, and there were only 8 of us kids, Mum and Dad started doing room checks to see if our rooms were spotless. Mine never was, so I set of little tornadoes in me older siblings' rooms to make theirs worse than mine.

When I was 4, me parents discovered me power over wind, and they sent me off to the shinobi school 'cause they were afraid I'd hurt me younger siblings (Mum was expectin again at the time). I learned how to fly without crashin into trees in the first week (didn't really learn much other than that), and I met an electricity shinobi named Klessi. She was 14 years me elder but all the same she was me friend. When she graduated, she gave me her pet turtle, Speedy. It was an honor to be given the turtle, that's a fact, because it was a tradition called the passin of the turtle. Klessi had inherited Speedy when she had been 12, then she passed it to me. I was the youngest ever to inherit the turtle, and Speedy stayed out of commission for the next 14 years. Anyways, I've always hated rules and people bossin me around and takin the credit for what I learn: if ye know me, ye know that. So I frequently skipped me classes and went flyin through the forests surrounding the school. Somebody always came and caught me, though. Bunch of fun-spoilin drips. Anyway, once when I was 5 I was flyin through the woods when I heard a dog snarlin. It sounded like it was rarin to attack somethin so I flew to where I hear the dog, and sure nough I saw a big dog gettin ready to attack a little boy, who looked like he'd been on the road a while. I floated there a while, thinking of what to do. The boy tripped, and the dog was goin in fer the kill. I had to do somethin!

"Aaaeaaa!" I yelled, swoopin out of the air. The dog looked up, and as I dove towards it I could see the foam drippin off its jowls. The boy started tryin to run away, but I scooped him up before the dog could get him, carryin him up high in the air.

He told me to put him down, and started strugglin in my grip.

"Ye sure? That dog's a rabid lass." I said.

"Saiisha's a good dog..." The boy said softly.

"Aye, I bet she was." A pause. "I'm Jin. What's your name?"

"I'm Touya."

"Well, tis a pleasure to meet ye, Touya." I swooped back down toward the ground, making a rude noise toward the dog and flyin back toward the shinobi school. It started barkin and chasin me, nippin at me heels. Touya whimpered and clung to the criss-crossed cloth straps across me chest. I did a half-turn in midair so I was lyin on me back. I spun back around so that I was facin the ground again, as we came closer to the school. Sure enough, a bunch of guards were waitin to bring me back to class.

"Comin through!" I yelled, flyin over the guards' heads and landing behind them. I set Touya down and held him close, waitin to see what the dog'd do. Sure nough, it came a-barrelin outta them trees fast as it could, thirsty for blood. Touya clung to me tighter. Everythin seemed to be a bit of a slow-mo for a moment, as one of the guards flipped a throwin star right between the dog's eyes. It yelped and fell over, dead. Touya broke away from me and ran to the dog who had been tryin to kill him a few moments ago. He clung to that dog like he'd never let go, cryin and sobbin and makin a fuss. I flew over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"She's in a better place now, Touya."

"Really?"

"Oh aye. And I bet if ye listen hard enough ye can hear her barkin for ye." Touya looked off into the distance.

"You're right! I can hear her!" I offered my hand to Touya, and hoisted him to his feet.

"I bet she wouldn't want ye to be so sad, would she Touya?" Touya shook his head.

"Well then don't be!" I laughed. "Come on, ye can stay with me fer a while." I took Touya's hand and together we walked onto the school grounds. When I graduated, I passed Speedy onta Touya, then when he graduated, the two of us didn't know where to go. We hired ourselves out as mercenaries, and were found by three other shinobi graduates, Risho, Gama, and Bakken. I neva liked Bakken much, the big oaf. The five of us trained in darkness to avoid the shinobi manhunt goin on.

Those weren't happy times. All of us, used to the light, were cranky and irritable, pickin fights with each other. We joined the Dark Tournament in order to get an island of our own where we could live and train in peace, without worryin about bein killed. That's the ideal that Bakken and Gama died fer. Even though we lost, the manhunt's over, so we can rejoice in the light again.

We don't need our own island anymore; we've got everything we need.

-Jin Kaze Tsukai


	3. Kuronue

Title: Hidden Pasts

Rating: R (for this chapter, at least. )

Genre: General/drama

Summary: Basically, what the Yu Yu Hakusho cast won't tell you about their pasts. I got them to tell me what they wouldn't tell you!!

This is Kuronue's chapter! . He wrote this all on his own, so let's give him a hand! .

Hello: my name is Kuronue. I am a bat demon, taken from my home at six years old to study for 94 years, and then enter into servitude under a fox demon, or Youko. I have had two; no, one master in my life. One master and one friend. I assume Rena wants me to write about my life with Master, because the chapter's rated R, so here goes.

After I graduated, I was given to a kind-faced Youko who treated me well. I soon warmed up to the idea of servitude, and learned the things that cheered him up after an unsuccessful steal.

Then, he started to touch me. This wasn't your normal handshake kind of thing: this, as I found out MUCH later, was sexual harassment. It started with casual, almost accidental caresses, and graduated to his hands touching my butt and giving me sensual looks. The songs I'd occasionally play got sadder and sadder, and apparently Master noticed this.

"What's wrong, little Kuronue? Are you not happy?" He asked. I shamefacedly looked at the ground. He cupped my chin in one hand and tilted my face up to stare into his eyes. He had one of those looks again, and I got scared suddenly, but didn't know why at the time.

"I can make you happy, little Kuronue. Do you want me to?" I nodded slightly, not knowing what he was going to do. His cocoa brown eyes flashed dangerously, and his lips were on mine before I could blink. He probed my lips with his tongue, pleading entrance. I opened my mouth and his tongue began exploring. I was so scared that I didn't know what to do. I just stood there, rigid, and scared out of my pre-pubescent, naïve wits. (100 to a bat demon is like 10 to a human.) My mouth started to close around Master's tongue unconsciously. Master withdrew his tongue from my mouth, and pulled away. He stared at me, scanning my face with his eyes. Suddenly, it clicked with him, and his eyes widened.

"Oh, Inari..." He breathed. "You haven't even...you're not...oh Inari...I'm sorry, little Kuronue." He choked, embracing me tightly. I tried to comfort him, and hugged him back.

"It's alright, Master. Master didn't hurt Kuronue." I said.

"It's not alright, little Kuronue. I almost...oh Inari, I'm so sorry." He sobbed, crying into my shoulder. He pulled away, and held me at arms length.

"Little Kuronue, promise me that if I ever do anything like that again, you'll stop me."

"Yes, Master."

"Promise me, little Kuronue."

"Kuronue promises." I said softly.

"Good." He sighed, brushing some brown hair out of his face, obviously relieved.

Things went back to the way they had been at the beginning, and stayed that way for around 100 years.

But then he started touching me, and giving me sensual looks again.

"Little Kuronue, are you unhappy with me?" He asked out of the blue.

"N-no!" I stammered. "Kuronue is very happy with Master. Master treats Kuronue well." I said. Master's eyes flashed again, and he vanished and appeared behind me, shoving me down and knocking the wind out of me. I felt my pants being pulled down, and felt Master's shaft being rubbed against my butt. I didn't know what it was at the time, but I found out later.

"Hold still, little Kuronue." Master moaned coarsely. Suddenly, out of nowhere I felt Master forcing his way inside me. I screamed as loud as I could, my mind whirling with lots of colors, and the trees around me becoming blurry. Master pulled out, and slammed back in. The pounding got faster, and I was howling and sobbing with pain, choking on my own tears. Suddenly, I felt way too hot liquid, Master's seed, pouring inside me. Master pulled out of me.

"There, little Kuronue." Master whispered coarsely. "That wasn't so bad." I could do nothing for hours but lie there, sobbing. I pulled my pants on painfully, but the seat was soon soaked with blood.

Two weeks later, Master was shot by hunters.

I went back to where it had all begun; the place where my kind are kept in rooms like cattle, and of-age Youkos come and looks at us, before choosing the one they want for a 'pet'. I was in a room this time for about six long months. Nobody would have anything to do with me, because I was twice the age of all the other choices.

One day, the door opened, and the of-age Youko looked around and his eyes fell on me.

"Who is that one?" He asked, pointing toward me.

"Which one?" His guide asked.

"The one that looks like he's got blood on the seat of his pants."

"Oh you don't want that one; he's a return."

"I said who is he!" The Youko said, aggravated.

"He's Kuronue."

"Kuronue!" The Youko, who looked rather unusual with his silver hair and amber eyes, yelled. I meekly found my way to the door.

"Yes?"

"Come with me, Kuronue." He said gently.

"Are you sure that you want him?"

"Yes."

"Kuronue is honored, Master." I said humbly, kneeling in front of the silver-haired Youko.

"Kuronue, stand up." He said impatiently. I stood. He walked out. I followed him. After we got out of anyone's earshot, he grabbed me by the shoulders and made me look at him.

"Kuronue, don't you DARE call me Master." He said firmly.

"What should Kuronue call Master, if not Master?"

"My name is Kurama." He said.

"Kuronue is proud to serve M-Kurama." I said, bowing.

"Kuronue, don't debase yourself. You don't serve me; we're equals. Oh, and also, use personal pronouns; I, me, we, you, etcetera."

"I..."

"That's a start. Come on Kuronue. You lead."

"Where are K-we going?"

"I don't know. Depends on what you want to steal, where you want to go, whatever." He said, putting his fox ears at a relaxed position.

"You mean you're not choosing?"

"Nope. Up to you, Kuronue." Kurama said. I started to walk in any old direction. Kurama followed. I got some confidence, and walked faster. Kurama laughed and picked up the pace.

"So, where are you leading us?" Kurama asked.

"We'll go wherever our hearts take us?" I suggested.

"Meaning you don't know where we're headed."

"Right." I said. Kurama laughed.

"Sounds good to me." He chuckled. "But I bet I can beat you there!" He laughed, taking off running. I laughed and followed him, the pendant my mother had given me when I was young glittering in the sunlight.

Poor Kuronue-san! T.T


	4. Youko Kurama

...hello, I'm Youko Kurama, formerly known as Shuuichi Minamino. I suppose this is my chapter of Hidden Pasts, and Rena warned me what would happen should I fail to write a good chapter. –ears flatten against head- A fate worse than death, I assure you. So, on with the chapter, lest I suffer Rena's wrath.

My Youko father is what humans like to call a conservative, meaning he's strongly opposed to homosexuals and same-sex unions. This proved problematic for me, as I grew and found that I was attracted to males. He also strongly thought that all women belong in the kitchen, and children, above all, must obey their parents. When I was about four, I kissed my cousin. We were just experimenting, practicing for when we grew up. Father saw us, and I was disowned immediately. Mother cried for me, but Father had her in an iron fist, so to speak. When I was five, I was bitten by a black widow spider. I fell very ill, very quickly, and I remember vividly being picked up in strong arms.

"You're going to be ok." My savior said comfortingly. I lost consciousness.

I awoke eight weeks later in a hospital room, old and wizened Youkos sitting all around me.

"Hello, little one." One of the Youkos said, patting my hand.

"My name is Yoshimori Higen." Another said. "Yours is...?"

"I'm Kurama." I said hoarsely.

"Of the great Kessari's line?" I nodded slowly after a pause. Kessari, one of the greatest thieves ever, was my great-great-great-grandfather. The Youkos began whispering amongst themselves.

"He's of Kessari's line, all right. I'd know those eyes anywhere." One whispered.

"Then he's got the instincts and the power: all he needs is to learn how to use it."

"But he's a year young yet. We can't start teaching him until he's six."

"Then we'll say he's six. One of Kessari's line on our side would be valuable. We can't risk him getting away."

"Alright."

"Higen-san?" I asked softly.

"Yes, Kurama-kun?" He responded.

"May I have some water?" I asked.

"Certainly." Higen said, snapping his fingers once. A crow demon came into the room.

"Yes, how can Miki help Master?" She asked.

"Kurama wishes for a glass of water."

"As Master commands." Miki left the room and came back moments later with a glass of water. She handed it to me and left the room. I drained the glass quickly.

"Kurama?" Higen asked. "Would you be willing to come study at my school for thieving arts? There's no tuition, and room and board is free until you graduate."

"Ok!" Little did I know what I was getting myself into.

My first classes were a week later. There were your basic classes; reading, language arts, and mathematics, but there were also three other classes you never see in the human world for the simple reason that they're illegal: Respect and How to Demand It, Pickpocketing 101, and How to Get What You Want by Swindling. I also had an extra class that was meant to help me harness my gift with plants. My schedule changed when I was 87 (actual not equivalent years), and Pickpocketing 101 and How to Get What You Want by Swindling were traded for How to Pull Off a Big Heist, and How to Use People Surreptitiously. I also began sparring in my private lessons. I was given a choice of various human world plants, and could only pick one. My first spar, I fought a feral yet so weak it was practically harmless lower D class (D-) demon. I was already middle C class (C) by this time. I'd never actually fought before, so I was so scared during this fight that I was about ready to pee myself. I grabbed a plant without looking, then saw it was a red rose.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" I asked, running away from the demon.

"You chose it." My tutor replied.

"Can I please switch?" I asked.

"No." I accidentally pricked myself with a thorn of the rose, and so an idea struck me.

"Rose Whip!" I shouted, concentrating my ki into the rose, which I swung at the demon. Petals flew everywhere, and the stem of the rose extended into a long, flexible whip. The whip whistled through the air and struck the demon in the head, killing it instantly.

"Incredible." My tutor gasped. "I've never seen anything like it." I just flopped onto my back, heart pounding in my chest and adrenaline pumping through my veins. After a five minute recovery time, I was given more docile botanic tasks, such as mixing potions.

When I was 100, I was walking to my fighting lessons when I saw a figure dressed in heavy black clothes, complete with hood and veil, struggling to keep up with a white-haired, brown-eyed youko. The youko turned on the figure, a knife in his hand.

"Keep up, you miserable sot!" The youko yelled. "I'll kill you like you killed my brother!" The knife came down, and without thinking I used my rose whip to disarm the youko. I ran over to the robed figure.

"Are you alright?" The figure remained silent. I turned on the youko.

"How dare you lay a hand on him!" I growled, eyes blazing with fury. The youko was pale, wide-eyed, and sweating.

"It's the ghost of Kessari!" He yelled.

"My name is Kurama. Don't you ever forget." I growled, creating a small dagger from a bamboo twig and holding it to his throat. "Ever." I turned and walked away mouthing one word to the robed figure:

"Escape."

My classes continued until I was 200, then I graduated at the top of my class. All graduates are given a crow demon or a bat demon for a slave. I chose a return named Kuronue for the sole reason that he deserved to be set free. We were equals, partners, and friends. You know the rest of the story.

-Youko Kurama

9/1/04 12:55 a.m.


	5. Lena

Title: Hidden Pasts

Rating: R (for this chapter, at least. )

Genre: General/drama

Summary: Basically, what the Yu Yu Hakusho cast won't tell you about their pasts. I got them to tell me what they wouldn't tell you!!

This is the fifth chapter of Hidden Pasts!! dodges random tomatoes Eeeeeew!!!! Stop that!!!! 

Hi, I'm Lena; also known as the angel of death. Some people know me as Death, some as Shib­ō, some even as Botan's friend. At any rate, this is my story, or at least part of it.

Koenma-sama had appointed me to go help an old man out of his body. I got to the hospital, and saw the old man lying alone in the room, the only other person being the flaxen haired angel worriedly by his side.

"Hi." I said softly, not wanting to scare the angel. He jumped anyway.

"Hey," the angel said, turning to me. His light blue eyes were so honest. "I'm Ren." He said, standing.

"Lena."

"So...you're the angel of death, huh?" Ren asked, eyeing my headband that plainly said 'Death'.

"Yep, I work for Koenma."

"Oh, really? I work for Enma-daio himself." Ren boasted half-heartedly. "Well, I suppose you weren't exactly sent to chat. Hence, I leave you to your duty." He said sadly, heading for the door.

"Wait," I said quietly.

"Yes?" Ren asked.

"Why is he alone?" I asked.

"He has no one left. His sister was going to come see him today, but she was in a car accident." I cringed, remembering her guardian angel, the denial-struck, over-protective woman who had clutched her dead human to her bosom, shrieking at me to get nowhere near her or her human. The first thing the woman had said after she died and was separated from her body was 'my brother. I can't leave my brother.'

"How sad..." I said, caressing the old man's weathered face. The body glowed, but of course only Ren and I could see that. The soul of the man, incarnated into how he was at the happiest point of his life, rose out of the body. Decked in full army dress, the handsome young man looked nothing like the frail body now lying lifeless under the starched sheets. The young man swung his legs over the side of the bed, sitting on the edge. Suddenly, a familiar dinging sound reached mine, Ren, and the man's ears. Ren and the man looked confused, but my face lit up like a lightbulb. Sure enough, it was Botan, my best friend in the whole of Spirit World!

"Lena!" Botan exclaimed happily.

"Hey, Botan!" I replied.

"Hey, Lena! We never see each other enough! Where have you been?"

"Oh, here and there. Ooh, you look positively adorable! Is that a new outfit?"

"Yeah, only my second time wearing it. My other one was practically threadbare!"

"Pink suits you a lot better than black did."

"Oh, you think?"

"Definitely. Oh, and look at the ribbon! It almost matches your hair!"

"I just thought, you know, I need a new look. So I got this!"

"Well, I must say; it's VERY cute."

"Speaking of cute, who are the two cuties over there?" Botan whispered cattishly, waving flirtishly to the boys.

"The blond one's name is Ren, and the brunette is your new assignment, ferry girl!" I laughed, playfully smacking Botan.

"Can you hook me up with Ren?" Botan asked hopefully.

"Nuh-uh, lovestruck. He's mine." I said. I saw Ren facefault out of the corner of my eye.

"Poo." Botan pouted. "Hello! I'm Botan, guide to the river Styx!" She winked at the man, who looked left, then right, then nervously grinned.

"I've come to take you to Heaven, silly!" Botan said, hoisting him onto the back of the oar. "Hold on tight, and in case of a water landing, do NOT use me as a floatation device!" Botan warned, leaning forward and zooming off.

"That wacko is the Grim Reaper?" Ren asked, mouth agape.

"Hey, watch it! That 'wacko' is my best friend!"

"So I guessed."

"Hey! What is that-!" I was interrupted by Ren's lips on mine.

"What did you mean by 'he's mine'?" Ren asked, breaking the kiss.

"Well, I saw you first." I said.

"You are unbelievable." Ren said kindly.

"Gee, I heard Enma-daio's angels were romantic, but this is..."

"Ridiculous?" Kiss.

"No."

"Absurd?" Kiss.

"No."

"Insane?" Kiss.

"No."

"Then what?"

"Incredible." I breathed, initiating the kiss. Now, the biggest angel rule is that if you're an angel, you can kiss, hug, fondle, and have sex, etcetera, as long as you don't get pregnant. The only way you can start a family is with Enma-daio's consent. Guardian angels, after their human inevitably dies, get a week to recover from the emotional shock. Hence, Ren spent his week following me around.

It was busy, busy, busy all that week. Finally, on Sunday there was a lull in the dying. Ren and I used it to the fullest, if you know what I mean. The next day, he was reassigned, and life returned to relative, Ren-free normal. The next time I saw Botan was that Wednesday at the water cooler.

Of course I had to tell her about the hot, steamy Sunday that I had shared with Ren. She was practically giddy, she was so happy for me. The months went by, and every Wednesday I met Botan at the water cooler. On the three-month anniversary of my "excursion" with Ren, I felt something stir inside me. Literally, STIR. Nausea in the mornings is REALLY no fun.

By the five-month anniversary, my waist had expanded a tiny bit. I was frightened. I knew what would happen to Ren if anyone found out. Hence, I neglected my duties as the angel of death, and didn't leave my quarters, not even on Wednesdays. When I didn't show up for a while, Botan came to my room to check on me.

She knocked on the door, and I, being stupid and wanting company, opened it.

"Oh my God, Lena." Botan gasped.

"Botan. Please don't tell." I begged. Botan looked away, stifled a sob, and ran away. Later that day, there was another knock on my door. It was Botan.

"Koenma-sama wants to see you." She said gravely. I nodded and walked out of the room, never once looking back. A few minutes later, I stood dejectedly in front of Koenma-sama, who was pacing back and forth on his desk.

"Lena, this is bad. This is really bad. Oh man, is this bad! When Father finds out that you're pregnant, I don't know what he'll do! If you're complacent, he might not send you to Hell, but the father is definitely Hell-bound."

"Ren!" I gasped.

"So that's who it was." Koenma-sama mused, chewing thoughtfully on his pacifier. "He might get a partial sentence, then, because Ren is one of Father's favorite angels."

"You really think so?" I asked, hopeful.

"Right now, you should be worried about the little chunk of DNA inside you. If it's been five months, as I've been informed it has, you should be a bit bigger." Koenma-sama said.

"I am a bit worried about little Rena. I think she should be active by now." I said, resting my hand on my small-ish stomach.

"Creative name...Lena." Koenma-sama said, scrambling down from his desk. "Tomorrow, you and Ren will appear before my Father. Lena, you're dismissed." Koenma-sama said, turning around in his chair. Bowing, I left the room. The next day, Ren picked me up at my quarters, greeting me with a comforting smile, and a bear hug. We walked together to Enma-daio's chambers. As we waited for Enma-daio to tell us to come in, Ren turned to me.

"So, do you know why Enma-daio wanted to see us?" Ren asked.

"Ren, do you remember when we met?"

"Yes, my human had just died."

"And do you remember what we did?" I asked. Ren paled.

"Oh no...you're not...are you?" I nodded. We were called into Enma-daio's chambers, bowed, and remained in that position, a strain for my back.

"Ah, Ren. I never thought I'd see you under these dire consequences. And with the angel of death, no less." Enma-daio boomed. "You do realize that you two have committed the most heinous of crimes, and that normal punishment for something of this caliber would be that both of you would go to Hell. However, in this case there are multiple details to be taken into consideration. Like, for instance, it occurred during Ren's week of grieving, when minor infractions are dropped entirely, and that neither of you have any previous record of misdemeanor. And another thing to be taken into consideration is how short on guardian angels I am, and the fact that it takes six years to fully train an angel of death. Hence you, Ren, will serve three years at the male penitentiary, and 12 years in Hell. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Enma-daio." Ren said complacently.

"And you, Lena, will spend the rest of your pregnancy in the solitary confinement cell at the women's penitentiary, but are allowed to keep the child. Is this clear?"

"Yes, Enma-daio." I said somewhat defiantly.

"But...?"

"But, with all due respect, the child is going to need both parents!"

"SILENCE!" Enma-daio roared. "You will both serve out your sentences as I said. Guards, take them away." Enma-daio boomed. A half a dozen oni came in. I grabbed onto Ren.

"Go, Lena." Ren's voice was full of ice.

"What?" I breathed.

"Go! I hate you!" Ren screamed, pushing me down. Three oni grabbed him, and the other three grabbed me. We were dragged in separate directions, and that was the last time I saw Ren. They put me in the solitary confinement cell, and put two guards outside the door. The weeks went by, and little Rena didn't grow hardly at all.

As the six-month mark came and went, I became increasingly worried. Then, two weeks into the sixth month, a buckling contraction hit, and didn't go away.

"No...no! It's too soon!" I screamed.

"Ey, shaddup in there!" One of the guards yelled, banging his fist on the door.

"Somebody help me!" I screamed frantically. A tingling feeling started in my feet, and traveled up my body until it felt like my entire body was asleep. I screamed out loud, breaking down into sobs. Then, I felt liquid trickling down my legs. I noticed the bottom of my dress becoming reddish in color.

"No...NO!" I screamed, sobbing. Not wanting to give up, I propped myself up on my elbows, and pushed. At the 10-count, I called for help again, panting. I pushed again, and beads of sweat ran down my face. Knowing that my child was still somewhat alive, I inhaled sharply, and pushed again.

I could feel Rena moving. I pushed again, and a slight bit of tension was released, signaling to me that Rena's head was out. I pushed again, and again, and finally Rena's shoulders eased out. Pushing once, Rena fully entered the world. Feeling, and movement, returned to my legs, and I sat up, staring at Rena. She was perfectly formed, though she couldn't have been more than seven inches long, and even through the blood caked on her body, I could tell that her little tuft of hair was flaxen colored, like Ren's.

Tears streamed silently down my face, and I crawled over to mine and Ren's daughter. Gently touching her delicate face, I separated Rena's soul from her body. The infant child spirit, my baby, Rena, stirred and wailed. Lifting the weightless child spirit into my arms, I walked over to the door of the cell, and pounded on the door.

"Whaddya want, Death?" One of the guards asked.

"Let me out of here! My sentence was for the remainder of my pregnancy, and I delivered my child!" I yelled.

"Sorry, unless I can see the squirt, you aren't going anywhere." The more linguistically inclined of the guards said. I walked back, scooped up Rena's body, and held it up to the barred window.

"This is the body of my daughter, Rena. Her spirit has been separated from her body, and I need to take it to Koenma-sama." I said. A jingle, and then clatter.

"Oops, dropped the keys." A guard mocked. His buddy laughed. Then, a slightly accented voice, harsh with anger and impatience, came storming down the hall.

"By order of Koenma-sama, son of Enma-daio, I order you to stop jacking off and let my friend out of that bloody cell!" The voice yelled.

"Botan?" I asked.

"Bingo." She said.

"How did you know?"

"Koenma-sama bugged the cell. I was sent to help, but I guess I'm too late."

"Get me out of here, Botan." I choked, tears stinging the backs of my eyes.

"Will do!" Botan promised.

"Oh no, you don't!" The more intelligent guard boomed.

"Why, you-!" Botan yelled. Two painful sounding smacks later, the keys jingled as they were picked up off the floor. The key turned in the lock, clicked, and the door swung open.

"Oh, Lena..." Botan said quietly. She walked to me, and embraced me warmly. She let go, and summoned her oar.

"Come on, let's go." She said. I nodded, and mounted the back of her oar, still holding both Rena's body, and her spirit.

"Why is she so small?" Botan asked, looking at Rena's spirit.

"She was born three months too early, and I didn't get much bigger than when you last saw me."

"Lena, I'm so sorry. If it was because of those guards, I'll personally escort them to Hell!" Botan swore, pounding her fist into her hand.

"No, Botan. It wasn't anyone's fault." I said, caressing the child spirit's face. Botan took off, and in a matter of minutes we had arrived at the Garden of Mourning Angels; a beautiful garden with elaborate angel statues, each mourning a different kind of Spirit World being. One for guardian angels; that one, the body is placed on the shoulders of the statue. One for every other angel; that one, the body is placed on the altar where the statue is kneeling in eternal prayer. One is for oni; that one, the body is placed in a lidless, concrete box.

And the last angel is mourning every other Spirit World being; that one, the body is placed in the waiting arms of the statue. Walking over to the one for every other angel, I placed Rena's body on the altar. I walked back to Botan, staring sadly at the sleeping child spirit in my arms. I mounted Botan's oar again, and we took off. Looking up, I saw the River Styx, frozen in the dead of February.

A few minutes later, Botan and I stood in front of the door to Koenma-sama's office.

"I have to do this, Botan."

"I know."

"Alone."

"Ok. But I'll wait here for you."

"That'd be great." I said. I opened the doors, and everyone froze and looked at me. I walked inside with a determined gait. I must have looked pretty pathetic: the oni kept giving me pitying looks. I reached Koenma-sama's desk, and saw him sitting there, overwhelmed with paperwork, as usual.

"Koenma-sama?" I asked tentatively. He looked up.

"Oh, Lena! I didn't expect you back so soon!"

"My sentence was until I delivered my child." I said.

"Ah, yes. I see." Koenma-sama said, surveying me with his eyes. "You're here...why?" He asked.

"My daughter died. I came to deliver her soul up for judgment."

"Oh, I'm sorry. This must be so hard." He said sympathetically.

"Thank you for your sympathy." I said, placing the child spirit on Koenma-sama's desk.

"If you want, you can have a few weeks off."

"Thank you, Koenma-sama." I choked, voice filled with tears. I turned and walked out of the office, never once looking back.

T.T Poor Mom...er, I mean Lena. sigh I guess the secret's out. Hi y'all, I'm Rena, this is my little sister Xena,

Xena: waves

And our little brothers Ken, Len, and Ben.

Ken: waves

Len: waves

Ben: waves

And we're the kids of Lena and Ren. (I was actually reborn as a human because Enma-daio had pity on my infant soul.)

Rena, Xena, Ken, Len, and Ben

(Note: Lena's story takes place between August 1988 and February 1989.)


End file.
